The Warmth of Love
by StillLovely
Summary: Calliegh is left broken after a life altering experience. Will Eric's love and support be enough?


**_I do not, in any way, own CSI:Miami or the characters. I only borrow them every now and again for my own enjoyment. _**

**_This story is something I came up with for a Harry Potter fic, involving Harry and Hermione, but something in my head clicked and I decided to do it for CSI:Miami, with Eric and Calleigh. _**

"It's cold for Miami."

He'd woken up, for reasons unknown to him, to find the bed beside him empty. She should have been there, sleeping soundly. However she wasn't. He'd crept through the house searching for her, but he knew she'd be here.

"It's been cold; never seems to be warm anymore."

She sat on the back steps, wearing only short pajama shorts and a tank top. She had no jacket or shoes, and an old photo album sat to her left. Eric didn't know how long she'd been here, and her response made him sad.

He sat one step above her, his knees grazing her shoulders. She tensed at the contact, then relaxed. It seemed to be a natural reaction to all contact recently. He noticed a photo in her hands; it was of her and her father, both young and smiling. He knew what she was thinking about just by seeing the photo.

"What do you think its like?" she asked quietly, turning her angelic face towards him.

"What?"

"Death. I mean, no one really knows, but everyone wonders about it." Her shoulders sagged and she turned around. "I want to know, but I don't, you know? Does that make sense?"

Eric didn't know what to say. "Cal-"

"I yelled at my mom last night."

"Yeah, I heard you. I'm sorry."

Calleigh sighed and fiddled with the corner of the picture.

"I didn't mean to. I was just so frustrated. She doesn't want to come to Dad's funeral. It's not that I hate her or anythin' for it, I understand. It's just hard. I don't want to fight with her."

Eric gently touched her shoulder, offering the quiet support he knew she needed.

"The last time I saw Dad, we were fighting. It was that mornin', when he came to the lab." She laughed a hollow laugh. Eric remembered; Kenwall had been piping mad at Calleigh for taking his keys. "I never should have given him his keys back. I just couldn't stand him bein' mad at me, though."

She stared dejectedly towards the horizon. He could see the sadness and grief in her eyes; knew what she was going through. The death of a loved one was difficult. His losing Mari was so hard.

She turned to him again, her eyes full of tears.

"I killed him, didn't I?"

He wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. Instead, he slid down to the next step and put an arm around her.

"Oh Cal, of course not! You are not responsible for his death, not at all. Sometimes, things happen for a reason. Maybe-maybe it was your dad's time. It doesn't make it your fault."

She pulled away from him and stood, leaving the steps and standing a few feet in front of him.

"I did Eric, I killed my father. There was absolutely no reason for me to give him his keys. I should've stood my g-ground and s-said no. I-I should've k-kept the keys…" Calleigh trailed off as her words came out stuttered and shaky. She stood there, silent, for what seemed an eternity.

"Calleigh?" She didn't respond, only turned. Tears were cascading down her beautiful face. His heart broke at the sight. "Querida, come here," he whispered, standing and pulling her to him. She buried her face against his chest, sobs racking her petite form.

"Shh, it's alright," he murmured in her ear, gently stroking her hair. "I'm here." He felt her growing weak in his arms and he gently moved them to the steps, where he sat with her in his lap.

After awhile, she pulled away, wiping her eyes.

"Thank you, Eric."

He merely shook his head, and turned his eyes to the horizon.

"It's not so cold anymore."

"The sun's coming up," he replied quietly.

"It's not the sun," she murmured, taking his hand.

Red and gold and orange fingers were stretching across the sky. Dawn was breaking, and was bringing back the warmth.

**_Well, hope you all liked it. Its my first fic about CSI:Miami, and my first post on this site, so, please R/R. _**


End file.
